CBS Basketball Analyst Offers ‘White Man’s Perspective’

CBS basketball analyst Doug Gottlieb, the only non-African-American on a panel covering the network's Sweet 16 coverage, set off a Twitter tempest by volunteering that he would offer "a white man's perspective."

"I'm just here to bring diversity to the set, give the kind of white man's perspective," he said to his four fellow panelists. Awkward laughter ensued.

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People on Twitter immediately seized on the joke as inappropriate, and Gottlieb apologized through the network.

"It was not a smart thing to say and I apologize," he said.

Panelist Charles Barkley defended Gottlieb later during the coverage.

"I know this has nothing to do with the game; I want to say something about Doug Gottlieb," Barkley said. "He made a joke earlier tonight and people are going crazy. All those idiots on Twitter, which I would never ever do, all you people at home who've got no life and are talking bad about Doug Gottlieb, get a life. It's over with. It's no big deal."